GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL (CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA)

George Washington High School
Principal	Nancy Alexander
School type	Public
Religious affiliation	None
Opened	1965
Location	Charleston, West Virginia
Enrollment	over 900
Campus surroundings	Urban and suburban
Mascot	Patriot
School colors	Burgundy and White
Fight song	Minnesota Rouser

'George Washington High School' is a public school in Charleston, West Virginia, USA.

Contents

'District'

Alumni

In the News

History

Academics

External Links

'District'

The school serves the South Hills neighborhood of the city and several incorporated areas nearby. It is one of eight public high schools in Kanawha County.

Alumni

The school's most famous alumna is ''Alias'' star Jennifer Garner, a 1990 graduate. Other notable graduates include: Ann Magnuson Cory King, who has played roles in the movie "All Over Again" and several TV shows; Conor Knighton, host of ''Google Current''; and former West Virginia Governor Bob Wise.

In the News

George Washington High School made national headlines in 1992, when, during an illegal off-campus Senior Skip Day party with other students from South Charleston High School, two students were shot and killed over an argument about payment for a keg of beer.
In 2002, maintenance on the walls of the girls' locker room at George Washington allowed access to the insulating space between the two stacks of cinder blocks that made up each wall. A male student crawled between them and managed to move within view of bathroom stalls and a changing area. He then became stuck, and remained between the walls for over an hour before a female student offered to call someone to help him. He left GWHS after the incident.
In 2003, several students attempted to pay for a pizza delivery with a counterfeited $50 bill. When the man delivering the pizza spotted the fake and asked them to pay with real currency, the students could not gather enough money between them to afford the bill. The delivery man notified authorities and several of the students involved were expelled after an investigation by the FBI.

History

The school opened in 1965 with the idea of creating a college-like atmosphere and putting more responsibility on the students. The plan for the school was developed by local educators, members of the West Virginia Department of Education, and faculty from the Ohio State University. The school's ideals of "self direction", flexible scheduling and independent study, are intended to provide students with opportunities to direct themselves.

Academics

The school consistently wins awards as a National School of Excellence. In 2004 and 2006 it was named by Newsweek as one of the 1,000 best high schools in America (#447 in 2006). In 2005 it was the only high school in West Virginia to win a blue ribbon for excelling in No Child Left Behind requirements.

External Links

★ Official site

★ Online community for alumni